


Butterflies

by leebee511



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir Bashing, Alya Césaire Bashing, Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth Redemption, Gabriel is an ok dude kinda, Gen, Lila Rossi Bashing, Lila Rossi Lies, Lila Rossi's Lies Are Exposed, Marinette Dupain-Cheng Needs a Hug, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug Deserves Better, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug Identity Reveal, She is a child give her a break, kinda on those last two - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-30
Updated: 2020-07-23
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:13:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23922880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leebee511/pseuds/leebee511
Summary: Butterflies have become terrifying for most Parisian citizens. But for Marinette Dupain-Cheng, butterflies have become a friend.  They understand her pain unlike anyone else. The pain of being alone.
Comments: 43
Kudos: 1203





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello friends!
> 
> Its summertime, so it's time to start writing!
> 
> This is my first fanfic, so please leave some constructive criticism! Lord knows I need it XD

Sorrow follows Marinette. It’s never-ending, like a raging waterfall. Sorrow has followed her for a long time. 

It was a wonder that Marinette hadn’t been akumatized yet. Tikki had always told her to keep her emotions in check, but the loneliness was too overwhelming. She had stopped reminding her a while ago, knowing it would be a lost cause. Abandonment wasn’t something you just shook off. 

Even if she hasn’t been akumatized, the akumas still come, but for a different reason. The akumas felt the way she did. Lonely. Ostracized. Treated like an enemy. Avoided at all costs. They felt like she did, and she cared for them because of that. 

It’s wasn’t like she was directly bullied. It was more like an underlying scheme built by the lying vixen. Lila slowly fulfilled her promise, tearing her friends away from her, one by one. They started to avoid her, making valiant efforts to get away from her when she tries to talk to them. They made excuses, they told her that they already had plans. Sometimes they just plain ignored her. Lila wanted her to suffer more than she ever had. To make her feel more pain than she did when fighting an akuma. 

Marinette thought she could get through it.

Marinette was wrong. 

Tikki didn’t know why the akumas came to her. She couldn’t explain why they flocked to Marinette like a moth to a flame. Tikki remembered when they first started to appear. Marinette had climbed onto her balcony, attempting to get some fresh air after a particularly hard day at school. She slumped onto her chair, curling up into a small ball. Marinette buried her head into her knees and heaved a shuddering sigh. Tikki floated down onto her head, patting the girl’s hair comfortingly. 

Marinette sat there for a minute, gathering her thoughts when she felt a light brush on her hand. She blinked, staring at the small white butterfly resting on the back of her hand. Marinette froze. She didn’t feel any fear, only confusion. Looking up, she spotted probably thirty other butterflies, dark purple and pure white, perched on her plants. 

“Um, Tikki?”

The kwami over Marinette’s head, “Yeah?”

“Can you explain this?” Marinette gestured to the plants around her, careful not to disturb the one on her palm. 

Tikki’s eyes widened. “Oh dear.” 

Marinette looked up at the goddess. “What do you mean, ‘Oh dear?’”

“I don’t know why they are here Marinette. I’ve never seen happen before.”

Marinette didn’t answer, instead opting to stare the flock of butterflies. Tikki flew to the un-purified ones and cleansed them, releasing them into the sky. The moth perched on her hand fluttered onto her nose, tickling her face. Marinette chucked, lifting up a hand, watching the butterfly flew onto her finger. She walked over to the railing and blew on it gently. It took off with the rest, taking flight with the swath of other akumas. The cloud of butterflies circled her balcony, before sailing off to where they came from. Marinette stared after them longingly, feeling happier than she had in weeks. 

***

Marinette walked through the halls, ignoring the whispers around her. Lila’s words have seemed to spread throughout the school, leaving Marinette with an undesirable reputation. She was just the mean girl who bullied Lila. Nothing more and nothing less. Especially not a friend. 

She slumped down onto the bench in the courtyard, watching as all of the students muddled around, waiting for the bell to ring. She stared at the group forming in the center, no doubt Lila spewing more lies about some grand vacation she had. Maybe even her saving another cat. Anything to get adoration from her peers. 

She stared at the group, a sad feeling washing over her. Lila clung to Adrien’s arm, while Alya listened intently. Marinette had tried to steer them away from the liar, but it never worked. Lila painted her as a villain who was worse than Hawkmoth himself. The class avoided her as they did akumas. They treated her like she was nothing. And Marinette had started to think they were right.

She was nonexistent when she was around them. Either they were afraid of being seen with her and facing Lila’s wrath, or they decided to toss her aside for the newer and shinier toy. Marinette’s classmates all looked at Lila like she was a victim, while they looked at Marinette with shame, and even in some cases, disgust and scorn. Even though she was just trying to protect them. Lila was going to ruin their lives, just like she ruined Marinette’s. 

Marinette jumped when the bell rang as the other students took off for their classrooms. She shook herself out of her thoughts, remembering Tikki’s reassurances, and filed in behind all of the other students. Marinette made her way up to her seat in the back, watching the floor for any stray objects in her path. Scanning the room, she saw Lila spinning another tall tale, her classmates enthralled. Something about being one of Monsieur Agreste’s favorite model. She spewed out stories about her and Adrien’s adventures, gesturing to the male next to her. Adrien just nodded absentmindedly, still in the mindset that the high road would fix everything. Rose gushed about their chemistry, squealing about how much of a cute couple they would be. Lila gushed in the praise, clearly not displeased in the slightest. 

Marinette remembered when they would have such a fun time at sleepovers, discussing plans that would help her get Adrien to fall for her. Her feelings for the model had left a long time ago, along with her respect for her classmates.

She noticed Alya ask some questions about them getting together, probably planning to get an interview. Anything for views. 

Marinette reminisced on all of the times they came to her as a friend. She missed that feeling. The feeling of having friends. 

She blinked staring at the little purple butterfly that landed on the back of the hand. They had been coming for weeks now whenever she was sad. It didn’t seem like Hawkmoth was sending them since they never tried to make her and akuma. She smiled slighting, brushing the butterfly’s wing slightly. The more the came to her, the more she felt like they knew her more than anyone else. 

The butterfly flitted around her. She chuckled to herself, “You really want some attention don’t you?” 

It butted against her nose, and she stifled some laughter. It landed on her finger, flapping its wings. “You’re a cutie,” Marinette said affectionally. 

She didn’t see that the got the unwanted attention from the front of the class.

Lila started screaming that Marinette was getting akumatized. She cried her crocodile tears, bumbling about how they were in ‘so much danger.’ 

Marinette didn’t see Adrien and Alya make their way up to her, her focus on the butterfly only. 

She smiled and kissed it gently. Marinette watched the color shift from a dark, bubbling purple, to a pure white. It fluttered around her head, before slipping out of the window. Marinette sighed, content. 

“What was that?” Alya asked, awestruck. 

Marinette’s eyes widened. She shot up, panic rising in her throat, “Uh- It’s not what you think!”

“You just cleansed an akuma! I know what I saw!” 

Adrien stared at the blue-haired girl, the gears turning in his head. He blinked, “You’re Ladybug.”

Marinette jumped. “What? No, I’m not!” Her eyes darted between the two in front of her. 

“How could I have been so blind? Of course, you’re Ladybug.” Adrien breathed out, his eyes widening. 

Alya gasped, “No way! I gotta post this!” 

“No! Don’t do that!” Marinette scrambled over the desk, grasping for the phone. 

“I have to! You understand how important this is for me!”’

“Can’t you see how much this means for me? Hawkmoth would target my family and me! He would target you!” 

“Well if that’s all it takes he would have gotten Lila a long time ago,” Chloe muttered, loud enough for everyone to hear. 

Everyone paused. They had forgotten about Ladybug’s ‘best friend.’

Lila scrambled to answer, to divert the attention, to do something. But Alya beat her to it, “But… you aren’t Marinette’s friend. She hates you, Lila.” 

“I- uh, We just-,” She paused momentarily, scanning her mind for a lie to save this situation, “We just act like this in public! To protect both of us!” 

“Care to answer why you are always throwing her under the bus then?” Chloe said calmly, picking at her manicure. 

Lila paused, stammering as everyone turned to her. Their looks ranged from betrayal to anger. 

Lila’s kingdom had fallen, and it was destroyed by the girl that she hated. 

Marinette wondered how she was going to fix this mess.


	2. Chapter 2

Marinette ran. 

She needed to get away. There was too much going on. 

Her identity was revealed. It was all over. 

She ducked behind a corner, pressing herself against the wall. She could hear Alya and Adrien yelling for her from the front of the school. Marinette slid down the wall, her eyes stinging with unshed tears. Tikki zipped out of her purse, frantically patting the girl's head. The tiny god knew that if one of the akumas came for her holder, the girl wouldn't be able to fight it. 

"Marinette, please! I need you to calm down!"

"But I-!"

"It's ok! Trust me, Marinette!" 

"But they know! What will Master fu do? Will he take you away?" She sobbed into her hands.

Tikki grabbed the girl's cheeks, getting her attention. "Look at me!" Marinette blinked, tears dripping down her chin, "It will be ok! Master fu will not take me away from you! I promise." 

Marinette nodded, her lip wobbling. Tikki let go reluctantly, letting out a big sigh. The girl scrubbed her eyes, not seeing the butterflies slowly fluttering toward her. The god panicked, frantically flitting about trying to de-evilize them before they could get to the girl. But she wasn't able to get all of them. 

The akuma landed the girl's hand. It stared at her, it's wings flapping slowly. Marinette froze, her eyes widening to the size of saucers. Nobody moved. 

The butterfly gently flew into the breeze, fluttering a few feet away, before turning and looking at Marinette again. She looked at Tikki nervously, "What's going on?"

Tikki shrugged, not knowing what to do. The butterfly moved towards the two again, beckoning for them to follow. Tikki nervously rubbed her paws together. Marinette slowly rose from the grass and stepped towards the akuma. It flittered forward a little bit, and suddenly Marinette knew what she needed to do.

She sucked in a breath, steeling her nerves. "Lead the way." 

***

Marinette stood in front of the Agreste Mansion, worrying her lip anxiously. The butterfly had settled on her shoulder. 

"Here?"

The akuma seemed to nod enthusiastically. Marinette smiled, "Excited to not be under his control anymore?"

It flew off of her shoulder, fluttering around her head. She noticed may others scattered around the grounds. Marinette huffed, before running off to a nearby alleyway. Tikki nodded at her, "Let's do this." 

Marinette smiled, "Tikki, Spots On!"

She burst out of the alleyway, following the akumas to the back of the mansion. She landed gracefully on the roof, before noticing the giant butterfly-shaped window. Ladybug scowled, "Seriously? He had a big butterfly window this whole time? How did I skim over him before?" She shook her head before looking for a way in. Breaking and entering isn't too bad if you're capturing a terrorist. 

The butterfly fluttered over to a vent and squeezed through. Ladybug smiled and kicked in the vent cover. She jumped in and followed the akuma through the maze. 

Ladybug dropped down into a room, the grass beneath her muffling her landing. She furrowed her eyebrows, scanning the room around her. Akumas flew about the entire room, almost like a tornado. She noticed a man kneeling in front of the plants, gardening tools scattered around him. Ladybug held her breath, watching Monsieur Agreste move with grace among the plants. He moved in front of the massive cylindrical chamber in the middle of the garden. The chamber opened, revealing a beautiful woman. She recognized her as Emile Agreste, Adrien's mother. Gabriel stood in front of the woman, taking off his glasses. 

Ladybug coughed, "Monsieur Agreste? Or should I say, Hawkmoth?"

He whipped around, his hair falling in his eyes. He sucked in a breath, reaching for the miraculous on his shirt. 

Ladybug frantically raised her hands as a sign of peace, "Please don't! I don't want to fight you!"

Gabriel scowled, "I don't care what you want, how did you get in here?" 

"The butterflies showed me the way."

He paused, "Butterflies? But the only person who could…" His eyes widened, "It's you. The girl who cleanses the akumas!" 

Ladybug sighed. “Tikki, Spots Off.” 

Tikki flew out of her earrings, looking around confusedly. Marinette pushed Tikki behind her, "Stay there."

Marinette raised her hands, placatingly, "Please listen to me. You don't have to do this anymore."

Gabriel frowned, "Why should I listen to you? You're just a little girl." He hissed out. 

She peeked behind him, and taking a quick guess, she blurted out, "Because if you want to save her, you'll be taking away someone else you love dearly. Like Adrien. You don't want your son to die, do you?" 

"Is this a threat?" 

"No!" Marinette frantically waved her hands around, "I've studied with the guardian, I know what happened when you use the Wish! You cant save someone without taking someone away. It's all about balance Monsieur Agreste."

"I don't care, I just want my wife back!" He was getting desperate. 

Marinette lowered her hands, stepping forward. Gabriel put a hand on the chamber behind him, blocking her view. "Can I?" 

Gabriel stiffened, before moving slightly to this side. Marinette skirted around him, keeping a wide berth so he wouldn't take her earrings. "She looks just like Adrien." 

Gabriel hummed in acknowledgment, a scowl resting on his face. 

"I think I could help her." 

He scoffed, "Please. Unless if it's magic, you can't do anything. The only thing that can save her is the Wish." 

"But… I can work with Tikki and the guardian. Maybe we could do something." 

Gabriel paused, mulling over her words. He noticed the butterflies landing gently on his shoulders. The flittered around them, resting on Emile and Marinette. His eyes softened as he stared at his slumbering wife. "Are you sure?" 

Marinette smiled, "I really believe so, Monsieur Agreste. If you go through with the Wish, it would only bring you more pain. Do it for your wife. Do it for Adrien," She paused, watching the butterflies, "Do it for them." 

Gabriel held out his hand as an akuma came to rest on his fingers. Gabriel smiled for the first time in a long time and looked at the teenager. "I'm trusting you, Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng." 

Marinette grinned. "You can count on me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The long-awaited chapter two! Sorry, it took so long.
> 
> I've always thought Gabriel could get redeemed until Chat Blanc came along, so I choose to ignore that episode. He just loves his wife, and I think he got so caught up in it that he forgets about everything else. Ngl, he still sucks tho. 
> 
> Also, you can imagine your ending, wether he gets jail time, or it stays hidden. I think he goes to jail, but you do you :) Either way, they get the miraculous back and Emilie is out of her comatose. 
> 
> Thank you to everyone who left comments and kudos on the last chapter, they meant so much to me!
> 
> Thanks for reading my friends!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!
> 
> This was inspired by a fanfic I read somewhere, but I don't remember what it was called. If anyone knows, please tell me cause it was pretty good.


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